Changed
by TigerButterflied
Summary: Greg's life is forever changed when his sister and her husband are killed in a car crash, leaving him to raise their infant daughter. Is Greg up to the challenge? How will Sara react to the new girl in his life?
1. Chapter 1

Changed ch1

This is in response to the Changed challenge on the Sandles group.

Greg Sanders adjusted the soft pink blanket and looked at the tiny infant.

"What was your Momma thinking, Katie? She wants ME to raise you. What are we gonna do?" The baby grinned in response. "Yeah, you laugh now, but I don't know what I'm doing here, and I'M your parents. It's you and me against the world, baby girl." He held her close. "I do love you; that's got to count for something."

His sister had been dead ten days. She and her husband hadbeen killed by a drunk driver on their way home from their first outing without their new daughter. Katie turned two months old the day they died. One irresponsible bastard made a selfish choice and now she was an orphan, robbed of even memories of the parents who had loved her so much. Greg had been stunned when the lawyer had read Kelly and Keith's will. It adamantly stated that HE was to have Katie - not his parents, not Keith's dad, but HIM, probably the least suitable person in the family. A letter penned privately to him explained the reasons - Mom and Dad were struggling with his grandfather and teenage brother and sister, who were both into drugs, and Keith's Dad father was a raging alcoholic. Besides, Greg was crazy about Katie. The letter went on to urge him to find a suitable lady and make a complete family for his new child. In parting, Kelly added, "Don't be afraid, Greg. Just love her. Buy parenting books, ask questions, but remember that everyone goes into parenthood a beginner. I'm sorry to lay this on you, but she needs you. Be there for her. Ever since the day she was born, I've had the overwhelming sense that Keith and I are going to die soon. That's why I'm writing this. You're supposed to do this, Greg. I'm sorry, but you are."

And that was how in less than two weeks he had gone from free spirit to parent. He had a crib in his living room, Enfamil in the cabinet, and lots and lots of diapers and little pink and white garments fresh-washed in a laundry basket on the sofa. He smelled not of Drakkar and Merlot but of baby powder. "I'm a Mom now," he whispered and laid the recliner back. He and Katie were due a nap.

A knock at the door awakened him several hours later. He gently laid Katie in her crib on the way to the door, then quietly opened it. "Catherine! Come in!"

"Grissom said you got back into town late last night; I brought you a casserole for supper. Oh, my gosh; just look at her!" Catherine knelt on the floor next to the crib. "Oh, Greg! She is just precious!" Catherine stayed there for a few minutes, then stood. "So how are YOU?"

Greg shrugged. "In shock. Overwhelmed."

She nodded. "I remember the day Eddie and I brought Lindsey home from the hospital. My Mom came and went, then Eddie slipped out to a bar. It was just Lindsey and me. It suddenly struck me that I was completely and utterly responsible for her well-being. If I messed up, she would be the one who was hurt by it. It's scary, but you move past it and settle into doing what needs to be done."

"I just feel so damned incompetent." He rubbed his eyes. "She's lost everything, and I want to make it up to her, to make her life just as great as it would've been if Kelly and Keith hadn't gotten killed, and I know I can't. "

"Greg, don't go there. It's pointless. Her life won't be the same as it would have been with your sister and her husband, but she'll have a great childhood - you'll make sure of that. Maybe you weren't looking to become a parent at this point in your life, but you'll be a good one. You're one of the most caring men I know. Read the parenting books..." Catherine glanced at the stack of books on his coffee table "... but realize they're just a rough guide; real life isn't exactly like Dr. Spock says it will be. And you have me. I'm here for you whenever you need me."

They were interrupted by another knock. "I have to go." Catherine gave him a quick hug and walked with him to the door. "Sara!"

"You're popular today," Catherine shot at Greg on her way out. "Wait until you see the baby. She's precious," she said to Sara on the way out.

Sara handed him a pizza. "I brought you supper. I would've come sooner, but I had to work late." She put the pizza down and pulled him into a hug. "I 'm so sorry, Greg. How are you?"

He shrugged. "Okay under the circumstances." He glanced at the crib. "A little intimidated."

Sara walked over and looked into the crib. "She is just precious."

"You can hold her if you want. It's time for her to eat."

Sara gingerly lifted the tiny infant out of the crib. "What's her name?" "Katie." "Hello, Katie." Sara pulled her close. "You are a beauty, but you just did a poopie." She leaned to grab a diaper from the open pack beside the crib. "I know just what to do about that, though."

"I'm sorry; I'll..."

"No, I'm fine." Sara was busily changing the diaper as she spoke. "Believe me; you'll have plenty to change between now and when you get her potty trained." Diaper changed, she redressed Katie and picked her up again. "So where's the formula?"

Greg held up a bottle containing a white powder. "Just gotta heat the water." The microwave beeped, and he poured the warm water into the bottle and shook it. That done, he drizzled a few drops on his wrist, the handed the bottle to Sara. "You can feed her if you want."

Sara smiled. "I was planning to." Greg's heart skipped a beat as he watched her feeding Katie. She was so beautiful, and he let his mind wander for just an instant, imagining her here with them, the three of them making a real family. It was never going to happen, but he could dream. "So, Greg, I take it she's yours now?"

He nodded. "It was what Kelly and Keith wanted. " "How are you doing with it?" He looked down at the floor. "I feel totally inept. I want to be a good parent, but I'm not sure I have what it takes." He met her gaze. "It's scary, Sara."

She smiled. "Yeah, but you're going to be a great Dad. And you aren't by yourself in this. You're my best friend. I'm here for both of you." She looked down at the eagerly-suckling baby nestled in her arms. "You're full of surprises, Greg."

"What do you mean?" "You were young, single, full of fun, no entanglements - and you gave it all up for her. Not many guys in your position would've made the same choice."

"There was no choice to be made. I mean, look at her - could YOU turn her away?"

Sara looked him in the eye. "No, I couldn't - but most guys wouldn't see it that way."

Greg stepped forward and squatted beside her. "I would hope that by this point in time you'd have realized I'm not most guys."

She gave him her best Mona Lisa smile. "I know you're not, Greg. I know you're not..."


	2. Chapter 2

Changed ch 2

Characters are not mine; I make no money from this.

Greg zipped up his jumpsuit and slammed the locker door. It was his first night back since the accident, and all he could think about was Katie. His neighbor Mrs. Frost was keeping her, and she'd been asleep when he dropped her off, but he was concerned. Would she be scared when she woke up, maybe think he'd abandoned her? He shook his head and headed out of the locker room. Best to keep his mind on work.

"Greggo! How's my best girl?" Nick was speed walking to catch up with him, so Greg slowed his pace a bit. Nick was almost as taken with Katie as Sara was. On second thought, no. No one was as crazy about her as Sara, except himself. She was at his house every single day.

"She's doing really well. My next-door neighbor is keeping her for me. Mrs. Frost is a retired kindergarten teacher, and she has five kids and about twenty grandkids, so she knows what she's doing."

Nick nodded thoughtfully. "Good deal."

"How is Uncle Greggo this evening?" Warrick clapped him on the shoulder.

"Ready to get back to work."

"You and Miss Katie settling in okay?"

Archie poked his head out of the AV lab as they walked by. "Classical music."

Greg stopped dead in his tracks and stared quizzically at his friend. "Huh?"

"You should play classical music for her every day. It'll make her smarter."

"Yeah, but it'll make ME lose my mind." Greg started walking again.

"THAT happened years ago. Can't lose what you no longer have," muttered Warrick.

Grissom was subdued as the last of the CSI's filed into his office. "Good evening, people. So far it's a quiet evening. Nick and Warrick, here's a trick roll at the Tropicana. Sara, Greg, continue on the Patterson case - Greg, she'll catch you up to speed. And Catherine, WE will be doing paperwork together. Quit scrunching up your face. I don't like it any more than you do. Greg, I need to talk to you before you get started."

Sara patted Greg on the arm. "We have a lot of stuff to process. Should keep us busy. Meet you at AV."

Greg kept his seat as the others trickled out of the small office. Grissom rose to close the door, then cleared his throat. "So, Greg, how are you?"

"Okay. It's an adjustment, but we're coping."

"This is an enormous responsibility you've chosen to accept." Grissom's gaze locked with Greg's. "I hope you realize that."

For once, Greg didn't look away. "I do, and I'm up to the job."

"A lot in your life will have to change. Frankly I doubt I'D be up to it."

Greg shrugged. "I guess we're different that way, then. You don't need to worry about Katie. She's my first priority."

Grissom was silent for a moment. "What about your career?"

"What about it? Catherine is a single mother, and she manages."

"Mmmmhmmmm. Well, I wish you the best with this. Let me know if I can be of help. You definitely have courage." With that, Grissom glanced down at his desk and began shuffling papers.

"So how did Katie deal with being left at the sitter's?" Sara looked away from the computer screen for a moment.

"She did fine. I'M not thrilled about it, but I'll adjust."

"I asked Grissom to start giving us the same nights off. What?"

"Nothing; I'm just a little surprised."

"Well, I was thinking, since we seem to be more a part of one another's lives these days, maybe the three of us could spend some quality time together on our days off. She needs a strong female influence that will be there for her, and I can be that. Just if you want."

Greg raised his eyebrows. Her expression was anxious and hopeful. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot." He was grinning like a kid on Christmas.

"And if you... when you have a date, I could babysit." She swallowed hard, and her expression tightened.

Greg laughed humorlessly. "That isn't likely to happen. I haven't been getting out much as it is. Now that Katie's in the picture, I don't foresee doing much socializing, at least not the kind I used to do."

Sara brightened. "Yeah. Well you have Katie, and you have me."

He squeezed her hand. "My two favorite ladies. Hope you don't get tired of hanging out with us."

She looked at him for a long time. "I won't. "


	3. Chapter 3

Changed challenge response - chapter 3

Okay, here's a short chapter for you. We have several to go yet.

"Happy half of a birthday, Katie!" Greg kissed the tiny, drool-covered cheek and swept her into a wild dance. "You're six months old, yes you are. My girl is six months old, and she's so excited she pooped in her pants. Luckily for you, I am a problem-solving genius." He waved a diaper in the air and danced her over to the crib. "Ooooo, that smell... can't you smell that smell..."

"All deceased members of Lynyrd Skynyrd are now spinning wildly in their graves thanks to you."

"Sara, I may be off-key, but I have as much right to sing as anyone else. Besides, SHE likes it." He taped the clean diaper and kissed one tiny foot. "She WANTS me to sing to her."

"That's because she's a baby. She doesn't know the difference between music and noise. Of course, you're thirty and still haven't figured that out yourself, so maybe it's genetic."

"You see how she treats me. I know, it's awful, isn't it." He lifted the baby into his arms and turned to Sara. "She is appalled by your abject cruelty toward her uncle Daddy."

"No she's not. She KNOWS her aunt Sara simply wants to spare her needless emotional trauma, not to mention early hearing loss." She moved over to take the smiling infant from his arms. "And now you need to stop being a baby hog and hand her over."

"I share her with you. Every day you come over, and every day you get to hold her and feed her to your heart's content."

She smiled and kissed Katie's forehead. "That's true. You have been very generous."

He grinned. "Oh, I can be even more generous. You don't have to go home at all, you know. You can just stay here with us forever ..."

"Greg, you'd have a stroke if I took you up on that." Slowly she looked him over. "You have to be careful making offers like that. Someone might think you're serious and then where would you be?"

"Take me up on it and find out." His tone was challenging. "I double dog dare you."

Sara looked at Katie, then at Greg. "You're - you're serious, aren't you?" Her heart was pounding. "Where would I sleep?"

Greg glanced toward his bedroom and then grinned at her. "Look, our relationship has changed - you know it and so do I. You know how I feel about you. I'm not sure how you feel about me, but you adore Katie. I love you and you love her. Look around you. Most long-term relationships are built on a lot less than that. The bottom line is this: Katie needs you, and you're committed to being there for her. Am I right so far?" Sara's mouth was hanging open, but she nodded. "Now, you know I'm in love with you."

"I - I didn't until just now."

"Well, you know now. I think you care about me somewhat - I AM your best friend."

"Of course I care about you WAY more than somewhat, Greg. You know that."

"Are you... are you attracted to me at all?"

She looked straight into his eyes. "Yeah. I'm attracted to you. More than anyone I know at this point, actually."

"Do you think it's possible that you could fall in love with me in time?"

"I, um, yeah. I, um, I feel pretty sure that would happen if we, if we... Greg this is crazy! You're a parent; we can't just go shack up together. What kind of example would that be for Katie?" She stroked the baby's head thoughtfully. "That wouldn't be right."

"I agree. We should get married."


	4. Chapter 4

Changed ch 4

Sara gasped, and he continued. "I've thought about this, and I believe I could make you happy. You know I'd never cheat on you, or mistreat you, or ignore you, or push you away. And Katie would be yours - your baby girl. We could have other children - if you wanted; I wouldn't push, but I'd like to. I'd be very good to you, Sara. I think in your heart you know that." He paused for a moment. "From a practical standpoint, I have a pretty good resume. I cook very well, clean, do laundry, change diapers, and give GREAT backrubs, all in addition to leaving the toilet seat in the 'down' position each and every time I use the facilities. You have stated in the past that I can be a real pain in the ass, and while that's at times true I'm basically a pretty nice guy. You've known me for five years, so there would be no ugly surprises. I love you, Sara, and I would do anything in my power to make you happy."

Sara just sat silently for at least ten minutes. "We'd need a bigger place," she said slowly. "Preferably a house with a yard."

Greg grinned. "A house. Yeah, that'd be perfect for us." He paused. "Was that a yes?"

She smiled shyly. "Yeah, I've probably lost my mind, but that's a yes."

Greg squatted down in front of her and put one hand on her cheek. "I will do my best to make sure you never regret this." He lowered his lips to hers, and his kiss was soft and tender. "We have to figure out where and when."

"As far as I'm concerned, a big wedding is a waste of money, especially since we have a child to provide for."

"I agree with you, but I would like to have a few friends and close family with us for it."

"If you want. I don't have any family left. We could go to one of those wedding chapels."

"Yeah, that would work." He chewed his lips. "Maybe next week? We could take some vacation, add a few days to our usual time off..."

She raised her eyebrow. "In a hurry, Greg? " He chuckled and looked her up and down.

"Yes, I am. Seriously, I just don't see any really good reason to wait, but if you want to that's fine."

Sara chuckled. "No, next week's days off is good."

Greg kissed her again, and this time she responded, though a bit tentatively. "I need to call my parents," he whispered against her mouth.

"And we need to call Nick."

"Yeah, he'll be hurt if he's not the first to know."

She paused. "They're all going to freak, you know that, don't you? They're going to tell us we're crazy, and I'm not entirely sure they'll be wrong."

"After Warrick's bombshell, I think they'll handle it okay."

Gil Grissom's face was pinched and gray. "You're WHAT!" He shook his head and removed his glasses, looked at them, then put them back on again. "Sara, you can't do this. I know you love the baby, but this is Greg Hojem Sanders you're talking about. You cannot MARRY him! It's bad enough they left him in charge of a helpless child, but this is... this is..." He shook his head, evidently unable to come up with an adequate adjective. "Impossible. You can't do it, Sara. Please don't do it."

Sara sighed. "I'm not here to ask your permission, Grissom, and as far as Greg goes he's one of the finest men I've ever met. You don't see him as he is now. You have this image of the happy-go-lucky kid he used to be six years ago burned into your mind, and it's like that image will never change for you. Let me tell you something, Grissom. Even before his sister died Greg was a serious, professional MAN, not an irresponsible kid. He had lost most of his joy in life, but he took both life and his job VERY seriously. He still does, but Katie has given him back happiness. And do you know what, Grissom? The two of them have done the same thing for me. Now you may see this as inappropriate, but I'm happy for the first time in fifteen years, and I'm going for it." She stood. "I'm just sorry you can't be happy for us. " She slammed the office door behind her.

Catherine followed Greg into the locker room. "So where are you two going on your honeymoon?"

"I found us a nice little cabin at the lake. We'll only have a few days, but my parents are going to babysit Katie, so at least we'll have a little bit of time. The place is really pretty. I hope Sara likes it."

"I'm happy for you. I just hope you two are doing the right thing. Marriage is no easy thing. Believe me, I know."

"I know it's not, but I will do absolutely anything to make it work. This is not just for Katie, Catherine. Never think that it is."

Catherine sighed. "I know it's not, Greg; for you I know it's not."

"This is a joke, right?" Warrick Brown was not a man easily surprised, but this concept was just astonishing. "I mean, she wouldn't even go out with him; now they're getting MARRIED?"

Nick shook his head. "I know, man, I know. I told Greg I wasn't surprised he'd marry her; it was her willingness to marry HIM that threw me for a loop."

Warrick laughed. "You got that right. How the hell did he get her to say yes, now?"

Nick chuckled. "Not sure, but she's been over at his place every single day since his sister died."

Warrick grinned. Now he got it. "The dog! He seduced her into it."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Warrick. This is Greg Sanders and Sara Sidle we're talking about. Get real."

Warrick shook his head. "I don't know WHAT the world is coming to. If this could happen, I guess we need to be taking a good, hard look at the whole Area 51 thing 'cause reality ain't what we thought it was."

"No lie, man. No lie."

Al Robbins smiled to himself as he shut the morgue drawer. Young love was blossoming all around him - David and Hannah were getting married in two weeks, and now Greg and Sara were making their plans as well. It cheered his heart to see romance blooming all around him. It also inspired him to plans of his own. He nodded gruffly and pushed his glasses up. He was going to get his wife some flowers and a box of chocolates on the way home, get a little romance warming up on his own home fires. He smiled as he remembered how, ah, sentimental Jan could be. Yes, he might be missing out on a bit of sleep today, but it was going to be well worth it. Single guys might think they had it made, but being married definitely had some absolutely wonderful fringe benefits.

Sophia Curtis smiled as she glanced at Sara Sidle in the bathroom mirror. "I heard the news."

Sara lifted an eyebrow at her. "What, Grissom's recruited you to try to talk me out of it? Don't bother. My mind's made up."

Sophia laughed. "Whoa, there. I didn't hear about it from Grissom, and even if he had tried to get me to talk you out of it I wouldn't. You're a grown woman, Sara, and Greg's an attractive guy. You've been really close for quite a while. I'm actually not all that surprised. I just wanted to congratulate you."

Sara shook her head. This was not what she'd been expecting to hear. "Wow, I'm... thanks for that."

Sophie smiled warmly. "Not a problem. Greg's my friend, and you make him happy. That's good enough for me." With that, Sophia slipped out of the restroom.

Archie glanced up at David Hodges. "You are late."

He nodded at the pizza boxes on the counter. "The rest is yours."

SuperDave, who sat beside Archie, nodded at Hodges. "Did you hear? "

"Hear about what?"

"About Greg and Sara."

Hodges put two slices of pizza on his plate. "No. What, did Ecklie finally wise up and fire them both?"

Archie laughed "No, man, they're getting married."

Hodges put his plate down. "Married? Both of them?"

Archie nodded. "Yes, both of them."

"To each other," chimed in SuperDave.

Hodges raised his hands. "Greg Sanders is getting married. To Sara Sidle."

"Yes." Archie and SuperDave spoke in unison.

Hodges shook his head and put the pizza back in the box. "I'm not eating this. The mushrooms must be the funny kind, because you two are out of your damned minds."


	5. Chapter 5

Okey-dokey! Here's another chapter...

"Quit twitching! I can't get your hair right if you're not going to be still." Catherine spoke through gritted teeth as she tried for the tenth - no, make that fifteenth - time to style Sara's hair. "Yeah, that's it." She stood back and smiled as she admired her own handiwork. "Oh, Sara, honey, you're gorgeous."

Sara smiled and looked at the floor. "Thank you for doing this, Catherine. I know we've had our differences, but you're a good friend."

Catherine smiled tightly. "Don't break his heart, Sara. He loves you more than you'll ever know. Don't do this if you aren't serious about making it be forever. If you don't love him, if this is just about the baby don't go through with it. He deserves to be loved right back. Anything less will take him apart one piece at a time."

Sara squeezed Catherine's hand. "You don't need to worry, Catherine. I wouldn't marry a man I didn't love."

Catherine sighed. "I wasn't sure."

"Be sure. I'll take good care of him. I promise."

"Greg, you are such a spaz! Quit walking! I can't get this flower thingy pinned on you if you don't stop pacing."

"Someone forgot their Valium this morning." Warrick grinned first at Greg, then at Nick. "Two someones, as a matter of fact."

"Shut up, Warrick. You aren't helping matters any."

Warrick sighed. "Be still, Greg. The sooner he pins you the sooner you can get married. The sooner you get married the sooner you can get to your wedding night."

Greg stopped pacing. "Attaboy!" Nick bit his lip and secured the flower. "There, now was that so bad?"

"Yes. No." He pulled at his collar. "Is Sara here?"

"Yeah, I saw her as I came in. Don't worry, man. She hasn't stood you up."

"I guess as your best man I'm supposed to remind you at this point that if you want to bail now's the time." Nick grinned at Greg. "In an hour you'll be a hanged man."

"Get real." Greg looked in the mirror. "My hair looks stupid."

"You can't get married looking like a cockatoo, so normal-looking hair will have to do." Nick pushed down an errant piece in the back. "There. Perfect!"

Warrick smirked. "So do we need to advise you on what to do on your wedding night?"

Greg shot him a sour glance. "No, I think I have that part under control." He looked around. "Where's Katie?"

"Your Mom has her, remember?" Nick glanced in the mirror and smoothed his own short hair. "She's in good hands."

"Don't bother. You don't have enough hair for it to get unruly."

"Hey, I'm your best man. You want me to look good for you, don't you?"

"So what do you think of your future in-laws?" Catherine was working on Sara's makeup as she talked to her.

"Very nice, actually. They sort of surprised me a little, though." "What do you mean?" "His Mom told me she's been expecting this for close to four years. That sort of surprised me a little."

Catherine shrugged. "He's had it bad for you since the day you two met. I assumed you realized that."

Sara shook her head. "I knew he had a crush on me for a while there, but I never thought..." She shrugged and trailed off. "I'm not the kind of girl men fall madly in love with. I'm more the hopeless geekette who falls head over heels over a guy who doesn't know she's alive. It never occurred to me he might love me. I'm really not all that lovable."

Catherine's voice was warm and kind. "That's not true. I know one man who would tell you otherwise. You're his heart's desire, Sara, and because of you his dreams are coming true today - in about fifteen minutes, as a matter of fact."

Dr. Al Robbins fidgeted as a heavyset, sweet-faced woman adjusted his bow tie. "Just another moment, Al. You're giving the girl away. You can't walk up there all lopsided. "There! You're gorgeous." She deposited a quick peck on his lips.

"Ah, Jan. Always making me look like a better man than I could ever be. Do you remember our wedding day?"

She smiled and stroked his furry cheek. "Of course I remember. Thirty years isn't that long, and it's one of my favorite memories."

He chuckled. "I stood at the end of that aisle on my own good legs as your father walked you up there to me. I remember thinking even angels couldn't be as breathtaking as you were that day. I still think that, Jan." He looked at her hands and paused. "Then there was the accident. We were still newlyweds, it was less than a month after our wedding. Fate swooped down, and suddenly I wasn't the man you married any more. I have often wondered if you ever wished you'd said no."

She pulled him down into a deep kiss. "Never," she whispered. "Not even for a second. You ARE the same man. You just have different legs."

"Okay, now lets go over this. Something old?"

"Earrings."

"Something new?"

Sara held up one foot. "Shoes."

"Something borrowed?"

"Your bracelet."

"Something blue."

Sara looked up. "I don't have anything blue."

"Well, let's just try to fix that problem, shall we?" She grinned. "I've got it." She reached in her purse and withdrew a blue Bic lighter.

Sara shook her head. "Catherine, that's a lighter."

"It's blue."

"But it's a disposable Bic lighter. What am I going to do, wear it in my hair?"

"It's blue, and you need blue. Put it in your bra."

"I do not believe I'm getting married with a butane lighter between my boobs. " She stuffed the offending item in her bodice. "Okay, so now we're covered?"

"Yes, ma'am we are. And I do believe it's show time. " Catherine looked at her watch, then swung open the dressing room door.

Dr. Robbins was standing only a few feet away. "Care to take a walk?" He offered his arm. As she took it, the music began.


	6. Chapter 6

The minister smiled and glanced from Sara to Greg, then back again.

Gilbert Grissom sat in the back of the church, Sophia Curtis by his side. If Greg had noticed Grissom's presence (he hadn't) he would have felt waves of hatred washing over his from his jealous mentor's narrowed eyes. Sophia did notice, and she pried open one clenched fist and took his hand. "If you love someone, their happiness is your first objective," she whispered to him.

"That's the point," he hissed back. "That's the point."

The minister cleared his throat and began. "We are gathered today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to honor the love between this man and this woman, to add our support and best wishes to the words that will unite Greg Sanders and Sara Sidle. Should there be anyone who has cause to object to this union, let him speak now or forever hold his peace."

Sophia pinched Grissom's hand; he had been about to rise. "I have a gun," she whispered in an ominous hiss. "Sit down and do not even THINK of screwing this up."

Grissom shot her a withering glance but obeyed.

"Good boy," she whispered softly. "You'll get your reward later."

Doc had silently brought Sara up and seated himself. The minister began again.

"Greg and Sara, marriage is one of the most challenging and rewarding relationships we humans can share. Within its boundaries dwell love, respect, tenderness, and commitment, and from its union the two shall find that together they equal so much more than their combined abilities taken separately." The minister's attention fell to Greg. "Greg, do you take this woman Sara to be your wife?"

"I do."

"For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of the days of your life do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?"

"I do."

"Sara, do you take this man Greg to be your husband?"

"I do."

"For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of the days of your life do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?"

"I do."

"Then I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Sara's heart was pounding. She looked down at the fourth finger of her left hand and swallowed hard. The wedding and reception were over. She was now Mrs. Greg Sanders, and she was waiting for Greg to join her in the back of the limo Catherine had chartered to drive them to the Tropicana, where she had gotten them the posh honeymoon suite. Sara swallowed hard at the thought of what that meant. She couldn't have been more nervous if she'd been an Amish virgin. Up to this point she and Greg hadn't gone any further than a few fairly chaste kisses. Yes, she had experienced her share of debauchery over the years, but never with him. This was different. This was her wedding night, her first time with the man she had pledged to spend the rest of her life with. First times were always awkward, and above all she didn't want him to be disappointed.

The limo door opened and he slid in next to her. He smiled shyly and took her left hand in his. "We match," he whispered huskily.

She looked at their joined hands, at the shiny new gold bands. "We do," she answered softly and smiled at him. "Like a set of bookends."

Greg stroked his thumb across her palm. "I still can't believe it." He cupped her chin with his other hand, letting the tip of his thumb stroke across her lips. "My wife."

She returned the gesture, touching her thumb to his parted lips. "My husband," she whispered, then gasped when his tongue slipped out to taste the tender pad. Suddenly she wasn't feeling quite so Amish or virginal any more.

"Wow! This is nice!" Greg looked around the sleek hotel room. "This room is bigger than both our apartments put together!"

"It is nice. And we don't even have to process it."

"Nope. No dead bodies, or DNA, or trace evidence."

"I certainly hope not. Not so sure on the DNA part, though." She grabbed her bag. "I'm going to check out the bathroom, freshen up, get changed."

Greg grinned. "You do that. I'll be out here changing and trying not to dust for prints."

She turned and checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror for the twentieth time. The nightgown was a gift from Mia, who had overnighted it from Chicago the day after Sara had called her and told her the news. "He'll like this," Mia had penned in the card, "even though it is classy." And classy it was. It was made of red-purple silk edged in lace, and its elegant lines enticed while leaving quite a bit to the imagination. Sara ran her hand over it. Mia had picked very well. It was perfect.

Greg was sitting awkwardly on the bed when she finally came out. "Wow," he whispered. "You look. Wow."

Sara sat next to him, her hips close but not quite touching his. "This was from Mia."

He delicately stroked over her side with one hand. "Silk," he whispered hoarsely, and he looked at her with his heart in his eyes. "I love you so much. Please let me touch you."

Her lips parted. "Oh, yes..." She moaned as gentle hands glided over all of her, baring her as they caressed and stroked and ardent lips kissed her everywhere. When her breathing had turned to whimpers and gasps he was over her, in her, sweet words of love flowing over her as he rocked her into tender oblivion. In the aftermath they clung together until sleep took them.

"Breakfast in bed, Greg? You're going to get me spoiled here." Sara grinned as she took the tray from him. Eggs, fruit, toast, coffee, with a beautiful red rose to the side.

Greg grinned. "I told you I would be good to you. I'm a man of my word." He sat on the bed next to her. "Your hair is as wild as mine this morning."

"Yeah. I seem to remember you had quite a bit to do with it getting this way."

He smiled shyly. "Yeah. Last night was amazing."

"For me too. " She shook her head. "This all seems a little surreal. It's great, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that we're really actually married."

His voice was cautious. "Good surreal or bad surreal?"

She laughed. "Good surreal, silly! I'm happy, but this is so much more than I ever allowed myself to hope for. I'm 35, Greg. I was resigned to the likelihood I'd be spending my life alone. I wasn't thrilled with that, but it seemed like my lot in life. I figured I was too socially retarded to be anything more than a passing fancy."

Long arms snaked around her, carefully pulling her into a hug. "You were never a passing fancy for me, Sara. Never. From the very start I was playing for keeps. I just never let you know that. You would've thought I was mentally unbalanced."

"Umm, Greg..."

"In a stalkery kind of way." He paused. "I just want you to know that I would've married you any day of the last five years. This has made my life complete. I mean that. For the rest of my life I'm going to be making sure you know just how much I love you."

Sara reached down and put the tray on the floor. "Come here," she whispered huskily, and laughed when he quickly obliged. "I might need you to show me again."

"Oh, I'll show you, all right. I have something really tangible for you right here."

"Mmmmmmm... you do love me, don't you..."


	7. Chapter 7

Here's another short chapter in the seemingly never-ending adventures of our newlyweds. I promise that it will end eventually. Meanwhile, more ever-abounding sap and fluff. Sounds messy...

Greg dropped the last of their bags at the foot of the big bed and stopped to look around the spacious master bedroom. The website pictures had truly not done the place justice. Nearly every room had its own porch or balcony overlooking the lake and mountain beyond, and the single bedroom was no exception. A spacious hot tub sat to the side of that porch. He was looking forward to making use of it.

"This place is perfect! I never realized you were such a romantic." Sara hugged him from behind.

"I just wish we had more than four days to enjoy it. Though I'm already missing Katie so much now it's probably for the best."

"I miss her too, but we talked to Mom less than an hour ago and we know she's just fine. The child is bonding with her grandparents, and if we threatened to go pick her up early my mother would fight us over it. Remember her parting shot?"

Sara grinned. " 'You two go spend some time practicing. Maybe before too long you'll get it right and give me another grandbaby.' I like your Mom. She's direct."

Greg nodded. "She's definitely that." He sighed. "Do you want to?"

"Want to what?" Sara's voice was puzzled.

"You know - have a baby together."

"Eventually. I think right now we have our hands full with Katie, work, looking for a house, getting used to being married. "

"I've thought about it a lot - you having my baby. I thought about it even before Katie came along. The scientist in me wonders what our child would be like."

Sara chuckled. "Mmmmm... dark hair, dark eyes, smart, hard headed."

Greg chuckled. "Nosy, opinionated, loud. Good looking like her mother."

Sara grinned. "Funny like his Daddy."

He wrapped his arms around her. "We're going to have a great life together. We were meant to be together."

"Somehow, I think you're right. " She snuggled against him, "I love you," she whispered. " I have for a while. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't. It's just hard for me to say the words."

He moved back and smiled at her. "I love you too - but you know that." His lips covered hers in a deep, tender kiss. "What you just told me... now my happiness is complete. I've been hopelessly in love with you for so long. Now I don't have to love you from a distance any more."

"I wonder if we would've ended up together if Katie hadn't come along."

He smirked. "I think we would have. We were already getting closer. We were going to become lovers eventually, and we both knew it. Just admit it."

She chuckled. "I think that's a fair assessment of things. I had contemplated, you know, seducing you - maybe more than contemplated, maybe more like figured out a strategy."

"You have GOT to be kidding! A strategy? You sound like you really thought I was going to put up a fight. "

She shrugged. "A lady always has a plan. "

"You know, you could still seduce me if you wanted. I'd hate all that planning to go to waste." She nuzzled his ear. "That is a thought. You're wicked, you know that?"

He chuckled. "And you love it, don't you?"

"Mmm-hmmm." She pulled at his arm. "Now help me get unpacked and get this bed made..."

Greg yawned. "Do you think the hot tub's ready yet?" They were snuggled up together on a blanket beside the lake watching a vivid sunset.

"Should be."

He smirked and grabbed her wrist. "So, Mrs. Sanders, ever do it in a hot tub?"

"No, come to think about it, I don't believe I have. How about you?"

"No, I haven't. We could both change that if you want."

"You know, that's a good idea. It is our honeymoon, and as a surprising number of people have recently felt free to inform me, that IS the sort of thing we're supposed to be doing." She paused for effect. "It IS our second night here, so I believe I'll go freshen up... for our bath."

Greg grinned idiotically. "Good idea..."


	8. Chapter 8

"Have you called your Mom?" Sara slung her purse in the back seat and got into the Jetta.

"I have. She's meeting us at the apartment. OUR apartment." He grinned over at her. "Tonight's going to be our first night at home together."

"I can't wait to see Katie! I have missed her so much."

"So have I, but Mom says she's done great, and you, Mama Bear, will have your little cub back in your arms before you know it."

She beamed. "She IS mine now, isn't she? "

"Yes she is. And so am I."

"You certainly are." She looked him over and smiled at the memory of the previous days. They definitely hadn't wasted their cocoon of time."Two for one - I always get the best deals." She pinched his arm. "You're pretty terrific, you know that?"

"Yes I am. But so are you."

She sighed. "Why did we waste all those years? How did we miss this, this thing we have between us?"

Greg laughed. "Um, I think you're using the royal 'we' there, Sara. I've been trying to get your attention for, oh, five years or so. It just took you a while to notice." He raised his eyebrows and grinned. "It was inevitable, though. The Greg Sanders charm was more than you could resist."

"Ah, yes, the famed Sanders charm - matched only by the Sanders humility." She looked him over assessingly. "You really DON'T want to know what really got me hooked on you."

"Sure I do."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do, and now you have to tell me."

"You always smell really, really good, and it's not just cologne. It's you. I first noticed it when you were doing DNA - I'd stand really close to get a whiff. I couldn't let you know."

He laughed. "No, since I was chasing you with my tongue hanging out you KNEW I'd be totally offended by your sniffing me. That makes complete sense, Sara. Really."

"Well, I was still hung up on Grissom back then."

"Grissom always smells WEIRD. He smells like bugs." Greg's nose wrinkled. "I think he lets his pets sleep in the bed with him or something."

Sara nodded. "Yeah, I know. You, however - unless you've been on a decomp you smell warm and sexy. You're addictive. When we get home, first thing I do is going to be sniff you."

"You married me because you like how I smell." He shook his head and laughed. "I'm not complaining, but wouldn't it have been less trouble to buy yourself a scented candle?"

"I didn't MARRY you because of your smell - it's just what first got me interested."

"Why'd you marry me?"

She shrugged. "Lots of reasons."

"Give me one."

"I love you."

"Give me another."

She snorted. "No, now YOU tell ME why you married me."

"Lots of reasons."

"Name one."

He smiled. "I'm madly in love with you."

"Another." He sighed.

"That's not reason enough?"

"Okay, then tell me what first got you hooked on me."

"That's easy. It was obsession at first sight, then I fell in love with you. I've been trying to win your heart ever since."

She kissed him on his cheek. "And now you have it forever."

He pulled up in front of his - their - apartment. "And now we're home. No, don't get out. I believe I get to carry you over the threshold."


	9. Chapter 9

One year later...

Greg cut a fat slice from the cake top and handed the plate to Sara. "Happy anniversary, babe."

"Happy anniversary to you, lover." She smiled and took a bite of the frosting - her favorite part of cake, he'd discovered. "It's been a great year."

"It has. " He paused for a moment. "Any regrets?"

"Only that we couldn't find a babysitter for tonight. I was looking forward to another hot night at the Tropicana."

"And in two weeks you'll get it. Meanwhile, you'll have to settle for a hot night pretending our bedroom is the honeymoon suite at the Tropicana." He looked her over lasciviously. "I'm glad Katie's a heavy sleeper."

She smirked. "Yeah, me too."

He took her hand. "I have something to ask you." Sara looked up from her frosting and nodded. "Will you have my baby?"

"Well, now. We've been married a year, we're settled in our new house, our finances are pretty good, and Katie is walking and talking. This time, THIS time I would have to say... yes."

She laughed as a grin settled on his sunny features. He swept her into a kiss. "I love you so much, Sara. I hope you know that."

"I love you too, Greg. " She sighed. "I never thought I could be this happy. When I was a little girl, after... after I ended up in foster care, I'd be walking to school. I'd walk by all these houses with the picket fences, and I'd think about the families inside eating bacon and eggs and waffles and drinking orange juice and kissing their kids on the cheek and telling them to have a great day. My throat would get tight because I knew I'd be having my cold, slimy oatmeal in the cafeteria with the other charity breakfast kids - no kisses and have a good day for me, just a shove out the door. I knew... I thought I'd never get to be one of those people surrounded by loving family, but now I am, I have it all, and you gave it to me. "

He pulled her to him. "You gave it to me, too. We're going to make the prettiest, smartest babies together. On our fiftieth wedding anniversary they're all going to give us a big party and afterward we're going to creep up the stairs to our bedroom and try to recreate tonight." He took her lips in an ardent kiss. "Now Katie's asleep, so why don't we give ourselves an experience to shoot for?"


End file.
